Chinese snuff bottle, 1796-1850, Qing dynasty; porcelain with painted decoration depicting stylized lotus petals.

The bottle is a cylindrical form with no stopper.
It is made of porcelain, painted in underglaze blue.
The decoration consists of a wide band of lotus flowers and foliage around the middle. There is a panelled border, perhaps of stylized lotus petals around the base and a border of lappets around the shoulder. Three bats are depcited on the neck of the bottle and there is a pale blue line above the foot and beneath the neck-rim.
The foot curves inwards and there is an indentation underneath containing a four-character Yongzheng (1723-35) mark in blue regular script.

Transferred from the Museum of Practical Geology, Jermyn Street

Transferred from the Museum of Practical Geology (Jermyn Street, London), accessioned in 1901. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.

This bottle was acquired from the Museum of Practical Geology, which acquired little non-mineral material after 1880.

Snuff is powdered tobacco, usually blended with aromatic herbs or spices. The habit of snuff-taking spread to China from the West during the 17th century and became established in the 18th century. People generally carried snuff in a small bottle. By the 20th century these bottles had become collectors' items, owing to the great variety of materials and decorative techniques used in their production.

4832-1901